Bomb protective band



Dec. 10, 1946. J. T. PARSONS T AL I 2,412,420

BOMB PROTECTIVE BAND Fil ed Jan. 11, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT OR. (1m 7' P42190225 &

' E? mammyfm ib/M Patented Dec. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT orrics BOMB PROTECTIVE BAND John T. Parsons and Axel V. Brogren,

Detroit, Mich.

Application January 11, 1943, Serial No. 472,078

2 Claims. (Cl. 1021) Bombs of the type which are dropped from air- I planes are usually provided with projections or lugs on the sides by which the bomb is suspended prior to falling. These projections or lugs are likely to become damaged or broken during the handling, shipment or storage of the bomb. An important object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged, quickly attachable or detachable band for protecting these projections or lugs from damage.

The band of the present invention is arranged to encircle the bomb and enclose the lug therewithin. An important novel feature of the band construction is the provision of means which permits variation in the size of the band to accommodate variations in the outside diameter of the bombs for which it is intended, and at the same time cause the band to snugly engage the bomb to protect the lugs regardless of these variations.

Various other objects, advantages and meritorious features of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following specification, appended claims and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bomb encircled by two protective bands of the present invention,

2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the protective bands taken along line 2.2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a side View of one portion of the band taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the catch mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view along line 44 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view along line 55 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of the protection band showing the parts in open condition prior to complete encirclement of a bomb,

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the catch mechanism along line 11 ofFig. 6, and

Fig. 8 is a view of the protective band showing how the band may be collapsed to a reduced size when not in use.

A bomb of the usual type minus the tail or fin section is shown generally at I!) Fig. 1. This portion is provided with projections or lugs on its circumference from which the bomb is suspended prior to falling from the airplane. One such lug is indicated at l2 in Fig. 1, and in dotted outline in Fig. 2. Two such lugs are provided on the bomb illustrated in the drawings in longitudinally spaced condition.

Bombs are usually stacked in close relation in storage and in shipment, in order to protect the lugs or projections l2, and at the same time provide a circumferential construction which will facilitate stacking and handling the protective means, completely encircles the bomb and is of the same radial thickness throughout. The protective means in operative position is in the form of a metal band having a hollow interior in which the lug or lugs are protectingly housed. Such a band is preferably formed of a plurality of members in the form of arcuate segments pivotally connected together. Each member is channel shaped in formation and arranged when encircling the bomb to provide a housing in which the projections and lugs are received.

Two such bands formed in accordance with the present invention are generally indicated at i l-4 t in Fig. 1. Each band comprises a plurality of arcuate segmental members, preferably three or more. The band illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings consists of three arcuate members I6, l8 and 20, all of channel formation. These members are pivotally joined end to end to form a linked series. The adjacent ends of tWo of the members are pivotally connected to the opposite ends of the third member, while the remote ends of the two outside members are left free for attachment or detachment from one another as desired. The mode of pivotal connection of the members is preferably by transverse pins 22 extending through overlapping end portion of the members. All the members are of the same arcuate formation and when circularly disposed as in Fig. 2 form a band having an internal diameter approximating the outside diameter of the size of the bomb for which it is intended.

The segmental members are channel shaped as hereinabove described, and with the'exception of one member face or open inwardly toward one another. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the channel members It and 8 open inwardly toward the bomb surface and form. a protective housing in combination therewith, for enclosing the projections or lugs 2. The third member 20 is arranged with its channel formation facing outwardly away from the other members and the bomb. In this open channel member means is provided for connecting the free ends of the band around the bomb.

The connecting means for releasably joining the ends of the band about they bomb comprises a transverse pin 24 on the free end of member 16.

The bottom of member I6 adjacent to the free end is cut back so that only the side walls of its channel formation continue to the end, and it is across this cut out portion of the member which the pin 24 extends. This is clearly shown in Fig. 3. Fixed in the open section of member 5 is a small inverted channel shaped member 25, which has a slightly less radial depth than the side walls of member l5, in order that it may overlap upon the bottom member 20 without disturbing the circular relationship of the parts as shown in Fig. 2. Pin 24 also extends through this channel member 25, as is evident in Fig. 3.

The third channel member 28 carries a novel catch mechanism which is adapted to engage and interlock with pin 24 and at the same time hold the members under tension against the side of the bomb which they enter. This catch mechanism comprises rigid connecting linkage and spring tension linkage. The rigid connecting linkage comprises two arcuate pivotally connected channel shaped elements, one being a rigid hookshaped member 25, and the other a rigid channel shaped lever 28. These channel shaped elements are inverted with respect to the member 28 and are slightly less in width than the latter, in order to fit or nest the-rewithin, as Fig. 3 shows. lhe link 25 is provided on its outer or forward end with a hook 39, adapted to engage and interlock with the pin 24 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The lever 28 has its forward end pivotally connected to the side walls of the open member 2e by means of short pivot studs 3232, as best shown in Fig. 3.

Offset rearwardly from studs 3232 is a transverse pin 34 fitted in the walls of channel shaped lever 28 and extending only as far as the walls of the lever, in order that it may be swung with the lever out of the open member 28. The rear end of link 26 is pivotally connected to pin 32. As a result of the pivotal connection of the two elements one to the other, and to the member 22, a toggle-like mechanism is provided for operating the catch, as a comparison of Fig. 6 with Fig. 2' will show.

When the two elements 26 and 28 are in collapsed position within the open channel member 26, as shown in Fig. 2, the pivotal axes 32 and are disposed at substantially the same radial distance from the center of the band. Since the link 26 which carries. the hooked end 353 is pivotally connected with the rearmost pin 34, it is in its most retracted position relative to lever 28. The relation of this element to the latching pin. 24 is such that in this position the hooked end 36 is capable of embracing the pin 22 and locking the ends of the band together. However, if the lever element 28 is pivotally swung out of the open member 25! about the studs 32--32, it will carry the link element 26 forwardly a distance sufiicient to clear the hooked end 36 from pin 24 and thereby disconnect the end of the band. In this position link 25 may be swung out of the open member 29 to an angular position as that shown in Fig. 6. In this position the separate members l6, [8 and 20-01 the band may be pivotally swung with respect to one another, and it is readily clear that this is the manner in which the band is placed around the bomb and removed therefrom.

As previously mentioned the band M is provided with novel spring tension means which tensions the members together and causes them to hug the sides of the bomb, regardless of variations in the outside diameter of the bomb for which the band is intended. This means is associated with the catch mechanism and. comprises a spring member 36 of fiat spring metal stock, shaped with a hooked end capable of engaging the pin 24, as shown in Fig. 2. The intermediate portion of the spring member is convoluted to give the desired springiness. The opposite or rear end is coiled about the pin 34. The spring is upheld in normal operating position by the pin 32 and has a limited play between the pin and I the base of the channel link 28. The spring member has such a length that when the ends of the band are brought together, as shown in Fig. 2, it would normally extend less than the forward side of pinv 24, as the dotted outline of the member in Fig. 2' indicated. However, in the act of hooking the end 3i] around the pin 24 the forward end of spring member is likewise hooked onto the pin 24 and when the elements 26 and 28 are collapsed at the open member 20, the spring member is stretched and assume the full line position indicated in Fig. 2.

The hooked end 30 Of the link element 26 is purposely made sufiiciently oversize to accommodate for the stretch of the spring member. As is evident, the stretched spring member 36 places the members l5, l8 and 20 of the band under tension around the bomb, and they yieldingly press against the sides of the bomb. Bombs are not usually made to accurate outside diameters. As a result the hooking engagement formed by the spring member 36 will allow the band to vary its diameter to accommodate such variations in the circumference of the bombs, while at the same time holding the members snugly against the bomb to protect the lugs.

To hold the band around the bomb from accidentally disengaging, it is preferred to use some temporary expedient such as a wire 40 which is looped around the pivot pin 22 and rear end of the lever segment 28 as shown in Fig. 2. When it is desired to remove the band from the bomb this wire connection is broken and the lever is swung up out of open member 21) by inserting the fingers under the rear end of the lever and exerting an upward pull. This will shift the link element 26 forwardly or to the left in Fig. 2, and clear the hooked end from pin 24. In this position the link ma be manually grasped and pulled out of the open member to completely disengage the ends of the band.

It is preferred, however, to use means which will relieve the operator of the second manual step of pulling the link 26 out of the open channel member 2!]. This means functions automatically to releasedly hold the two elements 26 and 28 for joint swinging movement when they are disposed at a relatively acute angle, such as that illustrated in Fig. 6. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention this means comprises the provision of projecting portions or ears 42-42 on the rear end of the side walls of link 26. These ears as shown in Fig. '7, are normally formed to project slidingly laterally outwardly from the planes of the side wall of the link and in the acute angle relationship of Fig. 6 these ears are engaged under the lower edges of side walls of the lever element 28. This will releasedly hold. the two elements 26. and 2B in the acute angle relationship, except when an extra force such as that encountered during the latching operation causes theears to bend inwardly and slide over the inner surface of the side walls of lever 28. The ears are in this condition in Fig. 3. As a result of the provision of these cars it is only necessary in order to disengage the band to swing the lever 28 out of the open channel member 20, and forwardly toward the hooked end 30, until a lessening of resistance to movement indicates that the ears have slipped past and engage under the lower edges of the lever. Upon little swinging movement of the lever the link will be swung jointly therewith, thereby disengaging the ends of the band.

In non-use the band may be collapsed to a relatively small size b folding the two end segments l6 and 20 in overlap-ping relationship in the center of the band, as shown in Fig. 8. In this position the band occupies approximately half the space as when it is expanded in circular formation. The convenience Which this provides for shipping and storing unused bomb bands is readily appreciated. The hooked end 36 affords a positive connection between the two ends of the band, supplementing the spring 36 connection, and providing security in case of failure of the spring and a, limit as to its stretching.

What we claim:

1. A protective band of the character described comprising, in combination, a plurality of arcuate segmental channel shaped members pivotally linked together in the form of a split ring type of assembly wherein the channel of one end member faces outwardly and the channel of the other end member faces inwardly of the ring assembly, a yieldable coupling detachably connecting the free ends of said end members together to form a circular band and having positive strain limiting means associated therewith detachably connecting the free ends of said end members together, said two coupling mechanisms supported within the channel of the outwardly facing channel member.

2. A bomb protecting band comprising, in combination, a plurality of arcuate segmental members, means pivotally connecting adjacent ends of said members together to form an open chain of linked members, each of said members being channel-shaped in cross section, said members being arranged so that the channel formation of all of said members faces in the same direction with the exception of one end member the channel of which faces in the opposite direction, means for releasably connecting the free end of said last mentioned member with the free end of the opposite end member of the linked assembly, said means being disposed within the channel formation of said end member which faces in the opposite direction to the channel formation of the other members.

JOHN T. PARSONS. AXEL V. BROGREN. 

